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Updates to People's Police Report Efforts to Pull Portland Officers from Terrorism Task Force Build
On November 8, one year after campaign participants sent a letter to City Council requesting that the two Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers be pulled out of the FBI terror task force (PPR #73), the campaign sent an updated letter to Council and the media. The 2018 version includes signatures from at least nine additional organizations, including Portland's Resistance and the Chinese American Citizens Alliance Portland Chapter. The issue was raised several times in the race between Hardesty and Loretta Smith for the seat being vacated by Commissioner Dan Saltzman. Smith, who originally said she needed more information, agreed it was concerning that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sits on the JTTF. On October 18, the Portland Tribune noted Commissioner Chloe Eudaly "supports a conversation about whether the participation of [ICE] violates the city's sanctuary policy" but did not pledge to vote to pull the PPB officers. Days after the OPB story, the FBI held a news conference and admitted they use people's immigration status to deport them if the FBI believes there is a terrorist threat but has no evidence of criminal activity. Hardesty will likely encourage both Commissioners Fritz and Eudaly to vote to get out of the JTTF. Portland Copwatch, which is administratively coordinating the campaign, suggests that people contact Council about their feelings regarding the JTTF. Find information, including the letter, a list of signators, and more at http://www.portlandcopwatch.org/pjttf.html. Trimet Fare Evasion Arrest by Cops Ruled Unconstitutional
Latinx David Douglas School Board member Ana Del Rocio (legal name Rosa Valderrama), won a
victory in court, pushing back on her arrest by Portland Police for "theft of services" on a
TriMet MAX train (PPR #74). On September 20, Multnomah Circuit
Court Judge
Wittmayer held that neither TriMet fare inspectors nor police officers may randomly approach a
passenger to demand proof of fare because the Oregon Constitution requires reasonable suspicion
a person has violated a law (Portland Tribune, September 27). TriMet will now pursue only
civil penalties against fare evaders. Since police upped the stakes by making a criminal arrest,
perhaps a reduction in police presence would prevent future such incidents. In January 2018,
TriMet hired 50 unarmed private security officers, but there has been no talk of reducing the
number of Transit Police. |
January, 2019
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Portland Copwatch Portland Copwatch is a grassroots, volunteer organization promoting police accountability through citizen action.
People's Police Report
#76 Table of Contents
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On November 28, OPB reported the FBI arranged to meet with Mayor Ted Wheeler days after the
election to discuss what would happen if Portland pulled out of the Joint Terrorism Task Force
(JTTF). Jo Ann Hardesty, who was elected to Council November 6, pledged to pull out of the JTTF
within weeks of entering office. OPB reported the FBI indicated the PPB's knowledge of which
suspects might have mental illness, rather than being actual threats, would be lost. They also pointed
to a case in which the feds investigated someone threatening the Mayor as a reason to stay in. But
it's outrageous to think the FBI could not ask Portland Police for information about whether
someone is a criminal threat or investigate threats of violence without having security clearance and
being part of a special Task Force.